Emergency Preparedness Program

Partnership with SOS Children's Villages International

Global challenges need strong partners...

The consequences of climate change and natural hazards primarily affect those regions where institutions are weak and resources are limited. To react efficiently, the local communities depend on the cooperation of global stakeholders. Allianz’ interest in sustainable solutions and proactive risk minimization lies in its nature as an insurer and is shared by Allianz entities worldwide.

With the support of Allianz, SOS Children’s Villages International developed the Emergency Preparedness Program. Introducing a new holistic approach to disaster management, the program combines latest satellite technology, user-friendly information and a network of trusted local stakeholders to minimize weather- and conflict-related risks for vulnerable SOS Children's Villages and the surrounding communities.

...and this is how we operate:

Preparedness

As natural and manmade risks are dynamic, proactive disaster management is a challenge.

The Emergency Preparedness Program aims to accelerate the reaction time spans of local staff by providing them with essential material, first aid and evacuation trainings, as well as emergency communication tools. Geo-informatics experts from the University of Salzburg developed an early warning system that uses satellite technology and on-site assessments to track the risk exposure of each SOS Children's Village and keeps users informed and connected.

Quick Action

During an emergency, chaotic circumstances make it difficult to coordinate aid.

We enable quick action of local stakeholders by providing them with access to real-time information on the ground, such as damages or evacuation route blockages. With instant information flow, local staff can share essential data among themselves, as well as with other aid organizations. The pre-positioned emergency supply stored at each SOS Children’s Village ensures that essential equipment is provided.

Recovery

Basic supplies and psychological support are needed immediately after a disaster, and beyond.

In the aftermath of a disaster, the emergency packages provide necessary supplies such as basic food and medicine. SOS mothers and social workers offer psychological support to children in the SOS Children’s Villages and surrounding communities and assist in their long-term recovery process. To strengthen the resilience of the local facilities, existing evacuation plans are revised and optimized.

Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (RIVA)

The risk and vulnerability assessment aims to evaluate and strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacities of local communities. In-depth assessments of the most likely natural and manmade threats help to develop targeted trainings, to close communication gaps and to pre-position vital resources. Data on global risks, satellite data and local assessments are combined. RIVA facilitates the translation of early warnings into early action, and by doing so, increases overall resilience.

Emergency Preparedness Packages

Based on in-depth assessments, SOS Children’s Villages are able to collect vital information to support potential emergency response activations and design tailored emergency preparedness packages. These packages focus on most urgent needs after a disaster - for instance, child protection, emergency water treatment, medical equipment and power supply.

Emergency Mapping Service (EMMA)

The emergency mapping service is ideally activated based on early warning information, such as tropical cyclones approaching an SOS Children’s Village. Different space-based sensors are used to map the impact of the disaster. It can, for instance, estimate the number of damaged buildings or assess the extent of floods. In this way, the “eye in the sky” can directly support the decisionmaking of staff and partner organizations on the ground. EMMA relies heavily on the reference information collected via RIVA.

Resilience 360 (R360)

The online platform allows SOS Children’s Villages to send critical information about all kinds of disasters to local staff in near real-time. Local staff can manually add information about critical incidents that R360 might miss. The disaster managers responsible are automatically alerted via email or SMS. Ultimately, R360 is the central hub for RIVA and EMMA, facilitating access to risk assessments, local reports and emergency mapping products.

Human Care

One of the most vital resources of the emergency preparedness program is psychological support that local staff provides to the victims of a natural disaster. Children in the SOS Children’s Villages are under constant care of their SOS mothers. Family strengthening programs provide support to the local communities. In the aftermath of a disaster, SOS Children’s Villages serve as emergency hubs and child-friendly spaces for trauma relief.

Join Sydney as she discovers the Emergency Preparedness Program in Ecuador!

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World Runner Sydney Bailey visited the SOS Children's Village in Quito to learn how the Emergency Preparedness Program is helping communities to cope with natural threats.